Thursday, January 25, 2007

Movie: Inkheart



There is almost daily traffic and discussion is on this blog about the casting of the movie, Inkheart. Old posts on the topic attract comments on a regular basis. The most controversial casting choice so far, and the role girls seem to be the most exercised over, is the henchman, "Basta." Apparently, Jamie Foreman is not young/sexy enough. I read the book several years ago and have not taken up Inkspell yet so I confess my memories of some of the peripheral characters are somewhat dimmed.

J.L. Bell at Oz and Ends had a thoughtful post about the movie's casting last year. I have always thought it was interesting that Cornelia Funke herself had Brendan Fraser in her mind as she wrote the character Mo. Since they spend so much time with characters as they create them, is is common for authors to "cast" a book with familiar faces in their mind's eye? I wonder.

My own interest in the book/movie brought this report and interview from the Inkheart movie set to my attention.

Fun facts: Mirren is using Edith Sitwell as her inspiration for Elinor. Paul Bettany is kind to ferrets.

Brendan Fraser (Mo), Eliza Bennett (Meggie), Paul Bettany (Dustfinger) and Andy Serkis (Capricorn)

UPDATE: There is a real PR press going on right now making the actors and director available for interviews.
Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Eliza Bennett and Andy Serkis Discuss "Inkheart"

Interview with Iain Softley & Helen Mirren

41 comments:

Michele said...

Well I don't remember "Basta", particularly since I also haven't read Inkheart in a while (and Inkspell not at all as yet, like you), but Jamie Foreman isn't young or sexy. He's jolly good at scary and bullying, though; he played a villainous sort in Doctor Who Season 2's "The Idiot's Lantern" and I wouldn't have argued with him ! He also punched the Doctor !

Camille said...

I'm like you. Basta didn't make that much of an impression on me either but some girls seem to love the bad boys (Malfoy) and they like Basta.

Michele said...

Yes I've noticed the peculiar (to me) liking for bad boys...

Anonymous said...

I Really Wish Some Hot\Sexy\Young guy would play Basta because when i read Inkheart I Pictured Basta As A Late 20's Dark Hair Tall Dark Eyes Someone I Could Go CRAZY for But Jamie doesnt turn me on at all i think hes ugly to be Blunt Honest.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, just wondering here, when was Basta ever described as sexy?

Anonymous said...

Basta isn't supposed to be "oh my gosh he's so hot!" but the guy who plays him needs to be a bit younger.HE cut Dustfinger's face over Roxane,correct?Paul Bettany,who will be playing Dustfinger,is 35.Jamie Foreman is 50.Capricorn found Basta when he was younger than Meggie.I honestly doubt that Capricorn was even younger that that.Andy Serkis(Capricorn)is only 43.SO,it doesn't make sense really. But you are right, Basta was never once described as sexy.Girls just think that the way about him is sexy.Evil,knife-happy,thin,a narrow face.Even my older BROTHER said that he was described as sexy!That's not my feeling.I don't think he should be the best looking actor out there,like he shouldn't be Brad Pitt or Jude Law.I thought maybe Joseph Fiennes would be perfect. He even has the right voice.

Anonymous said...

yes Basta is supposed to be hot and sixy don't you know that oooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh my gosh that it like so totally wrong if you don't think that Basta is supposed to hot and SEXY because he is the bad guy he is supposed to be so get over it i think i already said that so bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Anonymous said...

I think that jamie foreman is almost perfect for the role of basta because i pictured him to be a really scary guy, just like Sykes in oliver twist. i think andy syrkis is terrible for capricorn because inkheart describes him as tall, gaunt, and colorless. brenden fraiser is perfect for mo, and i think that meggie's character should have been a little younger than eliza bennett, but she is okay. dustfinger was casted perfectly. but, in the end, its only the acting that really matters!

Anonymous said...

has anyone seen the picture of the black jackets? what was up with their make up? the strange writing on their face and the dark black spots makes them seem really unrealistic. plus, the book never said anything about writing on their faces. i hope basta doesn't look like that! ill like dye!

Anonymous said...

yeah, i totally agree with the last anonymous. those pictures are uuuuuugly! but still, I can not wait another second to see the movie. ive read the book like six times and the adventure is just addicting

Anonymous said...

I agree with the person who said that Joseeph Fiennes should play Basta. All of you BAsta Fan Girls out there, look up Joseph Fiennes. He would totally be ****PERFECT*****!

Anonymous said...

yeah, joseph fiennes would be perfect for basta. he would even be good for capricorn if they shaved his beard.

Anonymous said...

FIANALLY SOMEONE AGREES!i'VE aLWAYS THOUGHT OF bASTA AS LOOKING LIKE JOSEPH FIENNES.

Anonymous said...

Joe fiennes WOULD be great! How could the not think of him when they were casting the movie? He even has the right voice if you've seen him in movies.

Anonymous said...

where does everybody get these pictures i want to know please somebody to tell me!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU

bye

Anonymous said...

ok i picture Basta as being someone really really hot but every one knows he's bad and that makes him kinda ugly

Anonymous said...

Well, that's not entirely true...he doesn't HAVE to be hideous. He can be average, can he not? There have been good-looking criminals/evil minions.
I think that Joseph Fiennes would make a good Basta.

Anonymous said...

Girls, Girls, calm yourselves! lol. Basta is describes as Sexy, in book and and book 2. I can only remember the contex in book two: Elinor was in a fuss and she said:

"....And i've seen Basta's foxy face in my dreams..." There. Foxy does NOT mean "fox like" it means: Sexy, or good looking. Yes, Basta is a hottie. Sorry for those of you who don't think so. -.- Jamie Foreman is NOT right for Basta!!! **bawling** he's just.......well.....not sexy.....O.O He's not right for the part. Sorry, i don't think Joseph is right either. (My opinion) Perhaps someone....SEXY.....>.< Ok, ok, i'm being annoying, i know. Bottom line is: Basta=sexy lol. **Hears door bell ring** OMG< Basta is here to pick me up for our date! **gasps** See ya around!!!! ;)

~*Basta's Gal

Anonymous said...

Girls, Girls, calm yourselves! lol. Basta is describes as Sexy, in book and and book 2. I can only remember the contex in book two: Elinor was in a fuss and she said:

"....And i've seen Basta's foxy face in my dreams..." There. Foxy does NOT mean "fox like" it means: Sexy, or good looking. Yes, Basta is a hottie. Sorry for those of you who don't think so. -.- Jamie Foreman is NOT right for Basta!!! **bawling** he's just.......well.....not sexy.....O.O He's not right for the part. Sorry, i don't think Joseph is right either. (My opinion) Perhaps someone....SEXY.....>.< Ok, ok, i'm being annoying, i know. Bottom line is: Basta=sexy lol. **Hears door bell ring** OMG< Basta is here to pick me up for our date! **gasps** See ya around!!!! ;)

~*Basta's Gal

(Did i double post this? Sorry if i did....)

Camille said...

"foxy face in my dreams" is an expression I took to mean sly, cunning, dangerous...not necessarily sexy.

I'm going to have to re-read the book before the movie comes out.

Anonymous said...

I am Angry The stupid Movie people have SKREWED it UP!!!!!!!!!!! ><

Anonymous said...

You're right! Jamie is just NOT right for Basta. But foxie does not ALWAYS mean sexy!!! That's why Joseph would be a good basta! He's not like "OMG he's hot" and he's not hideous. He's perfect. I shall defend Joseph to the end!!!

Anonymous said...

Omg, fan girlies, i found THE actor for Basta!!! OMG, Thomas Kretschmann would be PUUURFECT! If they were to dye his hair black, then *shivers* omg, he's the one! I've seen him play a bad guy before, and he was very good. he's got that whispery, cat like voice and it's really quite sexy (he has a German accent) His blue eyes would knock every one out! :D (Hes also my fav actor, so it would be a BONUS for me!!! ;D) lol. if not him, then Ewan McGregor might do ok....but I am supporting Thomas t'ill the end of time! *blows a kiss to Thomas* lol. see ya!

Anonymous said...

i agree with 9:25 Anonymous. Thomas is super sexy and would do the job perfectly. For those of you who want to spread your opinion FURTHER, visit: www.freewebs.com/inkspells

this site is great because it has movie info on it and it has polls and even a submissions page! That's right, you can submit your own fan art/stories! check it out!!!

Anonymous said...

OH NOSE!!!! Dang...I can no longer support Jo Fiennes...9:25 anonymous is right... He would be good for Basta...perfect in fact...OMG!!! HE's the guy from the Pianist!!! He's an AMAZING ACTOR! HE should play Basta. Sorry Joseph Fiennes.

Camille said...

Check out the website Inkhearties for news about the movie. There is a link to a behind the scenes visit to the set!

Anonymous said...

YAY! *hugs 9:28 Anonymous so tightly her eyeballs pop out* SOMEONE AGREES WITH ME! Thomas would be PERFECT for Basta!!!!!!!!!! *Screams so loudly and excitedly, the entire world looks at me in a funny way* ISn't he PERFECT!?!?!?! omg omg omg! *hyperventalates* ok, ok, i'm calm.... EIIII!!!!! lol.

check out: www.freewebs.com/inkspells

BastasChicka said...

Ok, got an account! lol. Yes, Thomas is perfect, who does not agree? (*Looks around room with a self satisfied expression*) See? Even my kitten agrees with me! lol. Does any one here draw/write alot of Inkheart fan stuff? If you do, then tell me, because i have the coolest web site for you! It's called:

www.freewebs.com/inkspells

there's one fanart posting, and it's really cool! There's also tones of movie pics and info. ChEcK iT oUt! The site needs some more postings of fanart and stories, so it would be awesome if you guys emailed Inkchild some stuff!

See you around!

PS: pooooor Basta!!!!!! X(

Anonymous said...

HI!!(this is 9:28 anonymous) Yeah, Thomas is good for Basta. My mum agrees with me. I got her to read inkheart... >_< My brother read it too, but I haven't asked him his opinion yet. I'm gonna check out www.freewebs.com/inkspells right now!!

Anonymous said...

I don't care if Basta is (or is supposed to be) "sexy" or not but the main thing for me was that he is supposed to be younger than Capricorn so that he looked up to him, and so his morals had become twisted by following him at a very young age. But I'll wait and see the movie to judge. Besides this and my lingering Meggie-envy I quite like the cast. I just wish we had a trailer by now (August)!

Anonymous said...

I also thought of that! I didn't very much like the characters of the movie. I always wish that the character would turn out to be handsome and young. Basta, for example, shattered my wish. Farid, and Dustfinger as well. Farid was okay, but Dustfinger... I thought he would be a little younger than he is. For Basta, it didn't really matter for me who he was... but no offense, the character turned out not fitting him. Although, since it is Cornelia Funke who probably chose who she thought the characters are suppose to be, then I guess I can't argue with that. I don't want to hear their voices though, since it might shatter my dream more.

Anonymous said...

I think the age thing is an issue too! I thought that Basta and Dustfinger would be the same age and I am gutted because I was totally smitten with Basta and now it's ruined for me... WAAAH! Oh and especially as Basta was described as: (Ok, brace yourselves) Thin, narrow shouldered, not very tall with a thin, fox like face and close set eyes, sun tanned skin and Fenoglio called him YOUNG!!! Does anybody else think that Jamie Foreman is a little far from Basta's description???

Anonymous said...

I agree... Jamie Foreman is totally the WRONG person for Basta!!! I hate Jamie Foreman! >:(

Anonymous said...

-sniff-
I don't want to be disappointed with jamie playing basta but I would have really liked him to be a heap younger, definitely a lot more cutie like (even though he's a psycho with a knife fetish). I really had a fan girl moment there when I read the book, especially when Basta was totally back stabbed by capricorn and was all super sulky and depressed in the cage. I had tears in my eyes I was so sad for him! OMG!
But yes, I am somewhat disappointed and a bit annoyed that they would choose someone like jamie to be my dear Basta.

Anonymous said...

i think Joseph Fiennes is really perfect to be basta and jamie foreman is definitely the wrong person >____< im really disappointed about that...Q___Q"

Anonymous said...

i think Eliza Bennet is perfect for the part of meggie. but why do they always pick the English people????

Anonymous said...

OMG! I was almost crying when I saw the guy who they've cast as Basta! I'm just gonna come out and say it,"Ralph Fiennes would have been good as Basta." Okay maybe he is a little too old but please just take a look at this picture...

http://www.ankegroener.de/anke1/Bilder/ralph_fiennes.jpg

Unknown said...

I think If Jamie looked a little younger he would be fine. Only because he looks older or the same age as Capricorn in the movie.... He IS described as fox like...or "foxy face" Something along those lines. That dosen't necessarily mean scrumptious drool over him foxy though.

He looks perfect in my opinion. The bad guys aren't always viciously delicious looking un stoires and movies. I didn't see anyone drooling over Wormtongue from LOTR... or Wormtail form H.P....

Or


And if Basta was real he'd assault us just the same as anyone else,

(Not that we would really even complain)

And he'd cut our squeaky little fan girl throats... I wish you girls would get that!

Don't get me wrong, I'd like to devour Basta like a freshly baked chocolate cake too....<3 But I wanted to even after I saw who was playing him.....

Tiff.

Rufus said...

Does anyone know whether the Aunt's house on the lake exists and if so where is it located

Anonymous said...

I kinda pictured Basta as Gin Ichimaru with the way the book described him.. Especially when it described him with foxlike features. Hah Hah, but thats just me.

Anonymous said...

I think that the character for Mo could have been a little more hot because the way I pictured the Bluejay is black haired with the darkest eyes and for Meggie to be a brunett but that's just my opinion oh yeah and I thought that Dustfinger would be a little on the chubby side lol but I also think that Basta could be more sexy lol.